What font was using for "now i'm nothing" art/shirts/etc...

[Suedehead]

This is the closest I can find, but no matter how much I play with kerning and size, it feels "off".

https://www.myfonts.com/fonts/linoty...old-condensed/

I'd like to know i'm getting the right font before I buy it. If you can share any insights, it'd be much appreciated.

For reference:

[Leviathant]

That apostrophe is going to be the key to unlocking this mystery.

I'm not sure what the font is, but it's none of the usual suspects.


Edit: Zurich looks damn close - just make sure you're using the correct apostrophe.

[ekrekel]

That apostrophe is going to be the key to unlocking this mystery.

I'm not sure what the font is, but it's none of the usual suspects.


Edit: Zurich looks damn close - just make sure you're using the correct apostrophe.

I think you're there, perhaps a reverse bold ` beefs it up enough to match the standard font.

[FULLMETAL]

I mocked this up with Helvetica Neue Condensed Bold (had to manually flip the "n's"), option E for the accent instead of an apostrophe, and Arial bold for the slanted "t."



On a side note, there's a "1991" version of this design sold at Lollapalooza. Not sure if this design was available before 1991, but it was featured in the 1993 newsletter to fans.

[Leviathant]

I mocked this up with Helvetica Neue Condensed Bold (had to manually flip the "n's"), option E for the accent instead of an apostrophe, and Arial bold for the slanted "t."

Note on that lower-case t, in Helvetica it curls upward. However, in Zurich, it stays level.



(Note: I made this with screenshots of the preview of the font, so the kerning isn't right)

I started by taking the front of a 2002-era version. I think I used WhatTheFont to track it down, if not, it was something similar. One of them only gave me one result, the other one gave me a bunch, and Zurich was the closest.

Semi-interestingly, there was an image of the graphic that was up on either Object or Weathermen that I posted on ninshirts with a slightly different layout. And I think I saw a bandanna with this on it at one point, too, but can't find that at the moment.

[Leviathant]

There's pretty good shots of the front & back of the "1991" variant here. And another 1991 variant here. The 't' is more consistent with Zurich than Arial/Helvetica.

[TheBang]

One way to approach this is to consider what fonts were included by default with Macintoshes in 1991. They probably were using System 6.0.8 (maybe System 7, but it might have been too soon). I think Zurich was one of the included fonts, but I'm not certain.

I think this emulator is running System 6 (in a browser) so you can play around with it and check out the fonts:

https://jamesfriend.com.au/pce-js/system6/

You could also maybe just ask the man.

[cdm]

Note on that lower-case t, in Helvetica it curls upward. However, in Zurich, it stays level.

Besides the t the lower case i looks right too (note the space beneath the dot in the i). I think Zurich is right.

[Leviathant]

So... the OP is a shirt bootlegger?

OP's been around for a long long time under a different handle. I don't know what @Suedehead plans on doing with this information, but I know that I typically use NIN fonts to make things that look 'official' but are also clearly not official. Well, with the exception of the "goddamn this noise inside my head" shirts I did - that was my only foray into a straight up knockoff of an official design, and it was cool, haha - and more importantly, it was silk screened, not print-on-demand.

Unfortunately, print-on-demand bootlegs of official shirts have run completely rampant on eBay. If the official store only does occasional runs of reprints, I honestly don't feel so bad about someone in the community spending time to do a higher quality product. Hell, sometimes I think about asking if I can get the official/unofficial "okay" to do some of that myself, but to do it right is so much work.

[Sammael_000]

Can't believe not a single graphic designer has pointed this out---it's one of the most prevalent typefaces out there, and it has been for decades. The font in question is Univers Bold Condensed.

A definite favourite. ✨

[sonic_discord]

Can't believe not a single graphic designer has pointed this out---it's one of the most prevalent typefaces out there, and it has been for decades. The font in question is Univers Bold Condensed.

A definite favourite. ✨

I do have the Univers family on my computer, but I've always been more of a fan of geometric sans-serif fonts like Gotham, Avenir, Trade Gothic, Futura, and Klavika. I didn't immediately recognize it, but you appear to be correct. They may have created a custom apostrophe from the bottom half of the semi-colon (the actual font uses a "straight single quote" apostrophe), but otherwise it looks like a match.

[TheBang]

The font in question is Univers Bold Condensed.

I don't think that's quite right. With Univers Condensed Bold, the cross-bar on the lower-case 't' is too wide, and also the tail on the 't' curves up ever so slightly, which doesn't appear to be the case on the t-shirt example.

[Suedehead]

I don't think that's quite right. With Univers Condensed Bold, the cross-bar on the lower-case 't' is too wide, and also the tail on the 't' curves up ever so slightly, which doesn't appear to be the case on the t-shirt example.

Like others have said, maybe these were customizations; intended to allow a scrutinizing eye to identify poor reproductions. Kudos to the original design team is this is the case, this has been a hunt for sure.

I do have another passion project developing that I highly doubt will be stepping on any toes.

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[Sammael_000]

Clearly some of you are not accounting for how the screen printing process and this particular type of heavier ink rounds/distorts certain minimal characteristics, especially over time; namely although just an example, corner definition and stroke thickness uniformity. https://dbinbox.s3.amazonaws.com/upl...7m_nothing.png

Surely you can, as I myself did, all accompanying visual aspects being to me just as important as the music itself, contact the designer responsible for this design---they are all, mostly, rather agreeable and compliant.

[FULLMETAL]

Did you receive a response from Gary Talpas?

[Sammael_000]

Did you receive a response from Gary Talpas?

As well as Jens Gehlhaar, David Carson, Hassan Rahim, and more recently Rob Sheridan (although, admittedly, not at all an impressive feat as he is quite active on the Tweets).
I have been collecting items revolving the band's visual identity for eons, from a graphic designer standpoint, most particularly---a rewarding and mostly cost-effective obsession, I must say. ��

[FULLMETAL]

Just to confirm, Mr. Talpas identified the font as Univers Bold Condensed?

Reason why I'm curious is I'd love to ask him about the "fractured" (examples in this post: #1543) logos early on before PHM was released.

[Leviathant]

Fuckin' fonts, man.

Bitstream Zurich is a Univers look-alike.

It's the same typeface, made by the same designer, but with a different publisher, necessitating a different name for the sake of copyright and all that.

Here's the long version, "The Bitstream--Linotype controversy"

Unfortunately, in case of Adrian Frutigers typefaces (Univers, Frutiger), Bitstream did not get authorization from the author and yet continued to distribute these. It was only in the late 1990s when this conflict was finally resolved and Bitstream and Linotype agreed on some licensing terms.

[Sammael_000]

Just to confirm, Mr. Talpas identified the font as Univers Bold Condensed?

Reason why I'm curious is I'd love to ask him about the "fractured" (examples in this post: #1543) logos early on before PHM was released.

Correct. If am not mistaken, however, those pieces of advertisement employ, also, Helvetica---two consistently used typefaces throughout Nine Inch Nails' history.

[Suedehead]

Correct. If am not mistaken, however, those pieces of advertisement employ, also, Helvetica---two consistently used typefaces throughout Nine Inch Nails' history.

I know you sell t-shirts and stuff, but have you thought of making a website discussing all the graphic design information you've learned about NIN over the years?

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[Sammael_000]

I know you sell t-shirts and stuff, but have you thought of making a website discussing all the graphic design information you've learned about NIN over the years?

Sent from my Pixel 4a using Tapatalk

I no longer do, as a matter of fact. Someone within the Nine Inch Nails Discord server admin circle felt upset enough with me recreating old and out-of-circulation graphics that got my store taken down. My non-NiN-specific fontshop, however, still stands.

To your point, I would love nothing more! The visual journey that Trent and so many other creative minds have taken us on is totally worthy of exploring---I fear that it may be too of a fringe interest, though. I find that few people are truly interested (or equally appreciate of) typography and graphic design, and how it complements the sonic landscapes that we cherish. ��

[Suedehead]

I no longer do, as a matter of fact. Someone within the Nine Inch Nails Discord server admin circle felt upset enough with me recreating old and out-of-circulation graphics that got my store taken down. My non-NiN-specific fontshop, however, still stands.

To your point, I would love nothing more! The visual journey that Trent and so many other creative minds have taken us on is totally worthy of exploring---I fear that it may be too of a fringe interest, though. I find that few people are truly interested (or equally appreciate of) typography and graphic design, and how it complements the sonic landscapes that we cherish. ��

Give it a whirl. I'd subscribe.

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